Mike Haynes: Pats of the Past

[Chuck Walden]

I get why most people consider him a Raider first and foremost (SB win, Haynes & Haynes), but he spent just as much time with the Pats. In my mind his Pats tenure always gets a little overlooked, he’s one of my favorite pre-Parcells players

 

[Mack Herron]

Best CB I've seen.

 

[maust]

Leon Gray and Haynes may have been traded but in reality they were nickel and dimed out of town by the Sullivans not altogether dissimilar to what they did with Russ Francis. It seemed nothing short of bizarre who they'd pay, who they wouldn't and for how much but I've often thought what it really came down to was how far the wolf was from the door while the negotiations were going on. All due consideration to Clayborn and Law, Haynes was without question the best CB ever to wear a Pats uni. He was a true shut down corner and it wasn't just speed, he had great instinct and could often read a route better than the guy running it.

 

[IndyKen]

I remember when Sports Illustrated came out with their NFL all time 75th year team, Mike Haynes was one of the 2 starting CB's. Can't recall the other one......Night Train Layne maybe?

 

[Chuck Walden]

I remember when Sports Illustrated came out with their NFL all time 75th year team, Mike Haynes was one of the 2 starting CB's. Can't recall the other one......Night Train Layne maybe?

Probably. Night Train was unreal. He’s my cornerback GOAT

 

[jimnance]

Haynes is the GOAT cb. Primetime was great, but had nothing on Haynes as a shutdown cb. And Haynes could also tackle. Prime,well,not so much.
Didn't see enough of Lane to have an opinion. But I defer to a lot of the respected football media who saw both,as well as players and coaches. I've heard Haynes rated the best more than the other 2.

 

[Joker]

Willie Brown anyone? Mike Haynes was the penultimate "smoove" corner....meaning he moved in a smooth effortless manner. Lot of great corners back in the day...but the game was so freakin' different. I miss it.

 

[jimnance]

Willie Brown anyone? Mike Haynes was the penultimate "smoove" corner....meaning he moved in a smooth effortless manner. Lot of great corners back in the day...but the game was so freakin' different. I miss it.

You got that right. Hell, I miss the game we had just a few years ago,circa 2003, before Polian,Dungy and Manning helped destroy this great game.
Every rule change, or so-called " point of emphasis" from roughly 2003 to now favored the offense, with just a few exceptions. The fact that BB and TB et al adjusted to those changes better than anyone else doesnt change the fact that a lot of the changes sucked.
The Pats have brought me a lot of joy over the last 20 years, but I liked the NFL game better in 2003 than now.

 

[ralmat55]

He was a great punt returner as well having multiple TD returns in his rookie year. Many don’t remember because he, mostly, only returned punts in 76. Those duties fell to another rookie in 1977. Some guy named Stanley Morgan. I wonder if any team ever had a more lethal pair of returners than Morgan and his fellow 77 1st rounder Raymond Clayborn?

The OP had another thread this week asking what we should expect of UDFA J.C. Jackson. In the videos of Jackson I’ve seen, he actually reminds me of Mike Haynes. He’s not as athletic as Haynes. But, he looks smooth in his coverage and has the awareness and instinct to cover his receiver while also being aware of how the play is developing around him. We should be so lucky if he’s half the player Mike Haynes was.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Mike Haynes was Cat like quick

 

[DarrylS]

I will always remember Haynes as a Patriot not so much as a Raider, in those days any ray of sunshine was a huge deal.. then the Patriots had a culture of losing, now there is a very nice change...

In Haynes time, there was no internet, there were no message boards to parse every and every decision, and no Sportstalk Radio to fan the flames and search of conspiracies around every corner.. once he went to the Raiders there was not as much local coverage.

Mike Haynes was also very much a gentleman..

 

[Chuck Walden]

You got that right. Hell, I miss the game we had just a few years ago,circa 2003, before Polian,Dungy and Manning helped destroy this great game.
Every rule change, or so-called " point of emphasis" from roughly 2003 to now favored the offense, with just a few exceptions. The fact that BB and TB et al adjusted to those changes better than anyone else doesnt change the fact that a lot of the changes sucked.
The Pats have brought me a lot of joy over the last 20 years, but I liked the NFL game better in 2003 than now.

If you can’t beat em, change the rules. I wonder how much different the game would be today if Manning didn’t choke on an annual basis (thus making Polish change the rules to make it easier for Peyton)

 

[jimnance]

Mike Haynes was Cat like quick

No, quicker. He was DOG-quick.

 

[jimnance]

If you can’t beat em, change the rules. I wonder how much different the game would be today if Manning didn’t choke on an annual basis (thus making Polish change the rules to make it easier for Peyton)

I think some of the changes were inevitable,i.e. trying to reduce concussions. But not to the extent they are today. Manning et al played their part, but so did fantasy football. With the $ to be made in fantasy, the NFL wanted a high-scoring league. They got it.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

No, quicker. He was DOG-quick.

Well...

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Haynes Great player. Shutdown conah. Not a smurf. Spokesperson for prostrate cancer. A cancer survivor...so far.

 

[Chuck Walden]

I think some of the changes were inevitable,i.e. trying to reduce concussions. But not to the extent they are today. Manning et al played their part, but so did fantasy football. With the $ to be made in fantasy, the NFL wanted a high-scoring league. They got it.

Yeah a lot of the changes would have happened regardless, but Polian and co made them happen a lot faster

 

[patsfaninpa]

Cosell had Mike as his 76 MVP not ROY. That’s how good he was.

 

[Off The Grid]

I remember when Sports Illustrated came out with their NFL all time 75th year team, Mike Haynes was one of the 2 starting CB's. Can't recall the other one......Night Train Layne maybe?

Probably. Night Train was unreal. He’s my cornerback GOAT

Concur, Sir. I don't subscribe to the GOAT philosophy, mind you. I prefer, instead, to think in terms of tiers, as in "the best 5 (or 10 or whatever) of all time" and leave it at that, because I consider it impossible to subjectively compare Players of different eras.

But if I had to pick a CornerBack? Night Train Lane, baby. Easy.

He is certainly my favorite CornerBack of all time, much as Jack Lambert is my favorite MidFielder, though of course **** Butkus is the best MidFielder of all time...I think of Jack Lambert as the Alice In Chains to **** Butkus's Metallica, if you will.

Oy. What a savage.

 

[Off The Grid]

I get why most people consider him a Raider first and foremost (SB win, Haynes & Haynes), but he spent just as much time with the Pats. In my mind his Pats tenure always gets a little overlooked, he’s one of my favorite pre-Parcells players

Mike Haynes: New England Patriots of the Past - Last Word on Pro Football

No argument. I absolutely loved Michael Haynes.

Thank God we finally got rid'f the Sullivans.